This invention relates generally to an apparatus for trimming and securing an electronic component inserted into a printed circuit substrate, and particularly to an apparatus for cutting and bending the leads of a parallel lead electronic component to secure the component to a printed circuit substrate. Apparatus for automatically cutting and bending the leads of an electronic component inserted into lead receiving holes of a printed circuit board have come into wide use recently. However, the conventional apparatus employed have a drawback in that they cannot perform the bending operations efficiently. This often results in a component falling out of the holes of the printed circuit board during storage or transportation of the board.
In addition, a problem arises concerning disposal of the chips of leads generated during the cutting operations. Unless suitable measures are taken, the chips may fall between moving parts of the apparatus causing failure which results in down time of the apparatus. Another problem often experienced is that the printed circuit is incomplete because an electronic component falls out of the holes after it is inserted but prior to being trimmed and secured. In this case the position of the circuit is vacant and the circuit is inoperable. The conventional apparatus could not detect the absence of a designated electronic component and the apparatus performed the cutting and bending operation in vain. Thus, it is highly desirable to provide an apparatus that can determine the presence of the designated electronic component prior to performing the cutting and bending operation. In addition, such an apparatus would perform the cutting and bending operations only when the lead receiving holes are filled by the electronic component prior to proceeding to the next phase of the operation.